Stuffer crimper yarn guide means

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for texturizing multi-filament yarn utilizing the stuffer box principal in which thermoplastic yarn is fed from a source into a texturizing zone. The apparatus comprises cooperating feed members for conveying yarn into a yarn guide means that delivers the yarn into means defining a texturizing zone. The yarn guide means has an inner wall defining an axial opening that extends through the guide means and which opening is of increasingly larger cross-sectional area in the direction toward the means defining the texturizing zone.

United States Patent 1191 Schartel Dec. 17, 1974' STUFFER CRIMPER YARNGUIDE MEANS 3,466,716 9/1969 Hancock ct a1 28/].6

3.512.231 5/1970 Stanley 28/l.(w [75] lnvemol- Ronald Readmg 3,626,55712/1971 Chudgar et al. zx/rsx [73] Assignee: Rockwell InternationalCorporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa. Primary ExaminerLouis K. Rimrodt [22] Filed: May 25,1973 121 Appl. No.: 363,920 [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for texturizingmulti-filament yarn utilizing the stuffer box principal in whichthermoplastic [3%] yarn is fed from a Source into a texturizing zone Thed 1 apparatus comprises cooperating feed members for 1 o earc fconveying yarn into a yarn guide means that delivers the yarn into meansdefining a texturizing zone. The [5 6] References and yarn guide meanshas an inner, wall defining an axial UNITED STATES PATENTS opening thatextends through the guide means and 3,044,l45 7/1962- Tager et al 28/l.6which opening is of increasingly larger cross-sectional 3,046,633 7/1962Ohashi et al 28/].6 area in the direction toward the means defining the3,058,167 10/1962 I Rainard t 8i. 28/i.6 texturizing zone 3,065,519ll/l962 Starkie 28/72.l4 3,431,609 3/l969 Satterwhite 28/ 1.6 1 Claim, 4Drawing Figures 'STUFFER CRIMPER YARN GUIDE MEANS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for texturizingman-made'multi-filament thermoplastic yarn such as, i.e., polymedicyarns including nylon, Orlon and Dacron, synthetic resin yarns such asphenolic and acrylic resin yarns, polypropylene yarns and yarns composedof organic derivatives of cellulose. Multi-filament yarns have beentreated in various ways to convert them into what is known in the art astexturized yarns and these texturized yarns, as distinguished from theoriginal yarns, have greatly improved absorbence and hand and dependingupon the particular conversion method employed have bulk and/or stretchcharacteristics.

The known methods of producing textured yarn include the false twistmethod in which the yarn is twisted, heat set and then untwisted, theso-called edge crimping method in which the yarn is drawn at a sharpangle around an edged member under tension, the stuffer box method inwhich the yarn is compacted into a confined zone and then heat set, theknit deknit method in which the yarn is first knitted into a fabric,then heat set and thereafter the fabric unraveled or deknit, andvariations of these previous methods. The present invention has shownfor its principal objective the provision of improved apparatus fortexturizing thermoplastic yarn. The method being somewhat analogous tothe stufi'er bot method mentioned earlier. More specifically, thisinvention has as an objective to improve upon the apparatus describedand claimed in US. Pat. No. 3,626,557 issued Dec. 14, 1971 and assignedto the same assignee as the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention athermoplastic multhfiliment yarn of any of the types referred to aboveis drawn from a supply by a pair of cooperating feed members anddelivered into a yarn guide means that directs the yarn into a meansdefining a texturizing zone where the yarn is subjected to heating andcooling cycles to effect texturization. In the present case the meansdefining the texturizing zone comprises a pair of counter-rotatedopposed endless belts that are carried on suitable guide rolls. The yarnguide means has an inlet end adjacent the outlet side of the feedmembers and exit end immediately adjacent the nip where the belts comeinto cooperating and opposed relationship. The yarn guide means has anaxial opening through which the yarn travels and within which the yarnis compacted in the manner analogous to a stuffer box, due to the factthat the speed of the feed members is significantly greater than thespeed of the opposed belts. The longitudinal opening in the yarn guidemeans increases in cross-sectional area in the direction away from theinlet and toward the outlet end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a portion ofthe texturiz- FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the improved yarnguide means of this invention;

' 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

ing apparatus of this invention showing the manner in which yarn is fedfrom the source to the compacting FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken alongthe line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings andparticularly to FIG. 1, the apparatus for texturizing yarn comprises aframe member 10, only part of which has been shown, since the particulartype of support used is not especially germane to this invention.Mounted on frame member 10 are a pair of cooperating feed members 11that are here shown as wheels or discs that are joumaled on axles 12 forrotation by a drive belt 13. Drive belt 13 is connectedto one of thefeed members 11 and to a suitable source of power, not shown. The twofeed members 11 are operatively connected by means of mating gear teeth15 that are mounted co-axially with the wheels 11. Thus, when drive belt13 is driven by the driving source (not shown) it will effect rotationof one feed member 11 which will then in turn effect rotation of itscooperating feed member 1] fed by means of teeth 15. Since members 11are geared together, rotation of these members will obviously be inopposite directions. Thus by rotating the left hand member 11 (as seenin FIG. 1) in a clockwise direction, the left hand member 1 1 willrotate in a counter direction and the yarn 16 will be drawn from asuitable source of supply, not shown. The right hand member 11 is heldin contact with the left'hand member by means of any suitable biasingmeans which is here illustrated as a spring 17 that is mounted in theframe extension 18 on one end and acts against the plate 19 on theother. Plate 19 is free to pivot about the axis 20 that is also securedto frame 11.

As the yarn 16 is drawn downwardly by cooperating feed members 11 itenters into yarn guide means 21 which extends from the outlet side offeed members 11 into the inlet side of the means defining the yarntexturizing zone. The means which defines the yarn texturizing zone area pair of opposed cooperating belts 22 that are constructed of amaterial capable of withstanding elevated temperature. The yarn is fedinto the nip formed between the rolls- 23 around which belts 22 move.Since the yarn is being fed into the nip between rolls 23 at a high rateof speed, the rolls in effect create a back pressure that causesaccumulation in yarn guide means 21 with its resultant compaction. Atthis point the compacted yarn moves along with belt 22 in a compressedcondition and is subsequently subjected to heat to effect plasticdeformation of the yarn and then subsequently to a cooling operation sothat the deformation becomes permanent. For a more detailed explanationof the process for heating and cooling multifilament yarn in thisfashion, reference is again made to US. Pat. No. 3,626,557. It isimportant, however, to note that the yarn is fully compacted at alocation separate from those where it is subsequently heated and cooled.For some reason not completely understood, their sequence of stepsdelivers a yam of significant] superior hand and dying characteristics.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the yarn guidemeans 21 since it affords more dependable and improved operation than dothose guide means that have been used in the past. The yarn guide means21 shown comprises an element of substantially cylindricalcross-section, although cross-sections other than circular could as wellbe used within the scope and spirit of this invention. As best shown inFIG. 3 the upper end of the yarn guide 21 is constructed so that it hasa pair'of tabs 25 that extend slightly beyond the horizontal diameterline of members 11 on each side thereof. The purpose is to provide totalconfinement of the yarn and to insure that proper feeding and compactionthereof is effected.

The guide means 21 includes an inner well 26 that defines an axialopening 27 that extends from the upper inlet end to the lower outletend. As can be seen in FIG.

. modifications may be made all falling within the scope 3 the opening27 includes a cross-sectional area that increases in the direction ofyarn flow, or in other words from the upper inlet to the lower outletend. In the configuration illustrated, this opening takes the form offrustum of a cone. Here again the inlet surface need not necessarilybesmooth and the diameter of the opening need not change uniformly sinceother or slightly modified configurations might as well be used. Theimportant feature of this yarn guide means is that it increases in sizein the direction of yarn flow so that as yarn is fed into the upper endthereof at a rate faster than that at which it is being withdrawn nobinding of the yarn will occur. This is, this geometry permitscompaction or stuffing of the yarn into the confined volume while stillpermitting unrestricted flow of the yarn from the inlet to the outletend of the yarn guide means 20.

Having thus described the invention in rather complete detail, it willbeunderstood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and thatvarious changes and and purview of this invention.

I claim:

1. An improved yarn guide means of a type which receives multi-filamentthermoplastic yarn being fed at a high rate from a source by a pair ofcooperating feed members and discharging into a nip formed between apair of rolls driving a pair of opposed cooperating belts which operateat a slower speed than said feed members and which define a texturizingzone where said yarn is held in a compacted condition while it is heatedand subsequently cooled to effect texturizing, wherein the improvementcomprises:

a tubular body having an axial opening therethrough;

said tubular body having a first end which includes a pair of extendedtab portions adapted to closely receive said pair of cooperating feedmembers therebetween;

said tubular body having a second end which is tapered to closely extendinto said nip; and

said axial opening being defined by a smooth, continuous inner wall ofsaid tubular body in the form of a fustrum of a cone with its largercross-sectional area adjacent said nip; whereby said tabs and said taperof said second end of said tubular body insure that said-yam is retainedwithin said axial opening as it is being compacted and the shape of saidaxial opening and the continuity of said inner wall permits unrestrictedflow of said yarn in said compacted condition to'said' texturizing zone.

1. An improved yarn guide means of a type which receives multifilamentthermoplastic yarn being fed at a high rate from a source by a pair ofcooperating feed members and discharging into a nip formed between apair of rolls driving a pair of opposed cooperating belts which operateat a slower speed than said feed members and which define a texturizingzone where said yarn is held in a compacted condition while it is heatedand subsequently cooled to effect texturizing, wherein the improvementcomprises: a tubular body having an axial opening therethrough; saidtubular body having a first end which includes a pair of extended tabportions adapted to closely receive said pair of cooperating feedmembers therebetween; said tubular body having a second end which istapered to closely extend into said nip; and said axial opening beingdefined by a smooth, continuous inner wall of said tubular body in theform of a fustrum of a cone with its larger cross-sectional areaadjacent said nip; whereby said tabs and said taper of said second endof said tubular body insure that said yarn is retained within said axialopening as it is being compacted and the shape of said axial opening andthe continuity of said inner wall permits unrestricted flow of said yarnin said compacted condition to said texturizing zone.